Isolde the Fair
by Fair Sword Maiden
Summary: Merlin meets a healer named Isolde who wants to work at the castle. Can she save a knight who has been wounded in the Camelot jousting tournament? Please Review!


**A/N: Ok everyone. I wanted to write a Merlin episode, because I am a HUGE fan of the show! I've watched every episode at least two or three times! I'm obsessed! By the way, for those of you who have read my other story, you probably know that I am also a fan of the story of Tristan and Isolde. So, I wanted to put them into Merlin with a twist. Here, Tristan is a knight from Lyonesse competing in a Camelot jousting tournament. Isolde is not a princess, but merely a healer who wants to get a job in the castle.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin. If I did, I would have already put Tristan and Isolde into one of the episodes.**

It was another ordinary day as Merlin was walking back to the castle. He had just finished his morning stroll, and was preparing for the list of chores that Prince Arthur would issue.

Merlin entered Prince Arthur's chamber with his breakfast.

"Oh, there you are, Merlin. I thought you died on the way to bring me my breakfast it took you so long," Arthur said.

"I'm sorry about the wait," Merlin said as he put the plate of food down on the table. As Arthur began to eat his sausages and toast, Merlin listened to him.

"So Merlin, I have a lot of work for you to do today. There is going to be another jousting tournament tomorrow. We are having knights coming from all over the place," Arthur said.

"Oh," Merlin replied.

Arthur stopped eating and cast Merlin an evil glare. "Don't you know what you're supposed to do? I thought you got the hint to polish my armor, sharpen my sword, and clean my robes," Arthur said.

"Oh, yeah. I'll get to it then," Merlin said as he headed for the door.

"Not so fast, Merlin. I need you to muck my stalls first. Surely you haven't done that task yet, have you?" Arthur said with a joking expression.

Merlin sighed with exasperation. "I'll get right to it."

* * *

While Merlin had finished mucking out the stalls (a chore that he greatly despised) he was stopped by a person.

"Excuse me," a soft voice said.

"Yes?" Merlin asked.

"I was wondering if you worked here at the castle," the voice continued. Merlin turned around. There was a young woman standing right next to him, holding a large book and a tattered handbag. He was a bit startled because she was very pretty. She had waist length golden hair, blue eyes, a pleasant face, and pure white teeth.

"Ummm. . .yeah, I work here," Merlin said as he put his hand on the back of his head.

"What is your occupation? Are you a healer?" she asked.

"No, I'm Prince Arthur's manservant," Merlin said.

"Really? That's quite amazing," she said. She then put down her handbag.

"Forgive me, I should introduce myself. My name is Isolde, and I come from Ireland," she said.

"I'm - I'm - Merlin," he stuttered.

"Oh, it is a pleasure to meet you, Merlin. I am a healer, and I was wondering if the King needed extra help for the tournament tomorrow," she said.

"Well, I'm sure that he would like to have you help. But you should really talk to Gaius. He's my uncle, and he's been the king's healer for years," Merlin said.

"Could you take me to see him?" Isolde asked, her bright eyes shining.

"Yeah, of course. I'll just have to speak to him first. I'm sure that he would love to talk to you," Merlin said.

"Great. When should I meet you again?" she asked.

"Meet me back here this evening, in the same spot," Merlin said.

"I'll be there," Isolde said.

************************************************************************ Back in the Castle, Merlin was sitting on his bed, reading a book, while he used his magic to polish Arthur's armor and sharpen his sword. Suddenly, he heard Gaius approaching. Merlin stopped the magic as soon as he walked in, and everything smashed onto the floor.

"Merlin! Will you stop using magic! You are going to get caught!" Gaius yelled.

"Who says that I was using magic?" Merlin asked, innocently peering over his book.

"Don't lie to me, I saw you," Gaius said. He then sat down.

"This isn't a joke, Merlin. What if Arthur was the one who walked in?" Gaius asked.

"I stopped the magic just in time," Merlin said.

"Whatever. But, he would have seen his armor and his sword on the floor. What would he say about that?" Gaius asked.

"He'd say that I'm an idiot," Merlin said.

Gaius sighed and sat down. "Come now, Merlin. Let us eat dinner."

Merlin sat down at the table with his uncle. They had just a small meal of chicken soup and stale bread.

"Gaius, I met this young woman today who said she wanted a job at the castle," Merlin began.

"Yes, go on," Gaius said.

"She wants a job as a healer. She was wondering if you could use any help for the tournament," Merlin said.

Gaius looked surprised. "Who is this woman?" he asked.

"Her name is Isolde, and she said that she came from Ireland. She wanted to speak with you," Merlin said.

"Very well. She can meet with me tomorrow morning," Gaius said.

* * *

After he was eating, Merlin was greeted by Arthur in the hallway.

"Merlin, I suppose that everything is all set for me tomorrow?" Arthur asked.

"Yeah, everything is all set," Merlin said.

"Good. So, you can rest for the remainder of the evening, Merlin. I will not need your services," Arthur said.

"Great!" Merlin said with a smile.

Arthur gave him a dirty look. "See? You just couldn't wait to get out of my sight," Arthur said.

"No, I was just. . .uh. . .ready to go for my evening walk," Merlin said.

"I'm sure. Well, make sure that you are in my chambers at promptly five o'clock tomorrow morning," Arthur said.

"Yeah, I'll be there," Merlin said. Then, he dashed off.

Merlin headed straight for the streets because he had to find Isolde. He promised her that he would meet her in the same spot that evening. Merlin arrived where they had met before, and he waited for a few minutes.

"I hope that she remembered," Merlin said under his breath. After few minutes, Merlin saw her walking up to him.

"Isolde!" he yelled. She looked up and smiled.

"Hello, Merlin. It is good to see you," Isolde said.

"It is good to see you also Isolde," Merlin said.

"So, do you have any news for me?" she asked.

"Yes. Gaius said that he would like to meet with you tomorrow morning. He will be in the tournament area," he said.

"What time tomorrow morning?" Isolde asked.

"Well. . .um. . . I'm not sure. But, you should get here around six o'clock. That's before the tournament starts, at least," Merlin said.

"Alright then. I'll be there tomorrow," Isolde said with a smile.

"Great! Well, I guess that I'll see you then," Merlin said.

"Thank you so much for helping me, Merlin. You don't realize how important this is to me," Isolde said.

Merlin smiled. "I'm glad that I could help. Now, I must get back to my master," Merlin said with a laugh. He waved, and ran off.

After Merlin had left, Isolde turned around to return to the inn where she was staying. She already liked Camelot, because she realized how friendly everyone was. She knew she had made the right decision to find work here. As much as she knew she would love working with the people of Camelot, she would always miss her home of Ireland.

"Get out of my way, commoner!" a rough voice yelled. Isolde's daydreaming was interrupted by a man shoving her. Since she was not expecting this, Isolde fell to the ground.

"Ah!" she said. Isolde lay on the ground, dizzy from the fall. She had dropped her handbag, and she knew that the contents had spilled onto the street. She saw other men surrounding her.

"You're a foreigner aren't you? I can tell by the looks of you. You do not look like a Camelot native. You're an Irish woman!" he yelled.

"Please! Don't hurt me!" she said. Isolde saw a man rummaging through the items that had escaped her handbag.

"Glass bottles, weird potion, unfamiliar books. You must be a sorceress!" he yelled.

"No! Please, I am only a healer!" she yelled as she stood up. The man shoved her back down on the ground.

"We have to take you to the King! He will not like a foreigner in Camelot trying to smuggle in magic," he said as he roughly grabbed her wrist.

"You there! Let go of that poor maiden!" a man yelled. Isolde looked up and saw a tall man with his sword drawn. His manner of dress indicated that he was a knight; red tunic, chain mail, and a variety of weapons on his belt. His sword was pointed to the man's back.

The man turned around and held his hands up.

"Don't hurt me, sir," he said with a quivering voice.

"Leave this maiden alone! I highly doubt that she is a sorceress. And besides, you don't have any solid proof do you?" the knight asked.

"It's right in her bag!" he yelled.

"Hmm. . .that doesn't look like sorcery to me. Now, go away before I disarm you," the knight said. The group of men ran off, leaving Isolde on the ground.

"Are you alright?" the knight asked as he held out his hand.

"I guess," Isolde said. She took his hand and then sucked in her breath. Her blue eyes had met with his brown eyes.

"Well. . .I'll help you pick up your things," the knight said as he looked at her. He bent down on the ground and picked up the bottles.

"You're a healer aren't you?" he asked as he handed her the big book she carried.

"Yes. I'm hoping to serve as a healer in the jousting tournament tomorrow," Isolde said.

"Really? I will be competing in the tournament tomorrow," he said.

Isolde looked up at him as she closed her bag. "Who are you and where do you come from?" she asked.

He smiled. "Forgive me, I should've introduced myself. I am Sir Tristan of Lyonesse," he said as he bowed.

"I am Isolde, and I'm merely a healer from Ireland," she said.

"Well Isolde, I really do think that you shouldn't walk the streets alone anymore. I know that King Uther is against foreigners who might have the possibility of practicing sorcery," Tristan said.

"But I do not practice sorcery!" Isolde said.

"That may be true, but you really shouldn't be traveling these streets alone. Please, allow me to escort you to your destination," Tristan said.

Isolde smiled. "Yes, please."

* * *

The next morning, Merlin brought Arthur's breakfast to his chambers.

"Good morning, Arthur. I brought your breakfast," Merlin said.

"Good! It took you long enough," Arthur said as he sat down at his table.

Arthur had a hearty breakfast placed before him: three fat sausages, two pieces of bread with cheese, an apple, and a glass of water.

Merlin just stood there and watched Arthur eat. He began to salivate as he looked at the sausages. They smelt delicious, and his stomach growled loudly.

"Haven't been eating have you, Merlin? Oh, that's right, you're a servant, and you get to eat Gaius' specialty stew every day," Arthur ridiculed.

Merlin didn't respond; rather, he used magic to make Arthur's fork fly out of his hand.

"What the heck was that?" Arthur asked as he bent down to pick up his fork. While Arthur was looking away, Merlin used magic to make a sausage fly into his pocket. Arthur then sat up and looked at his plate.

"I had three sausages, Merlin. What happened to one of them?" Arthur asked.

"Do you really expect me to know? You probably ate one of them so fast that you forgot you even ate it," Merlin said. He knew that was a lame excuse.

"I have a strange feeling I can't believe that," Arthur said. He finished eating his breakfast with a menacing glare at Merlin. Once he was done, Merlin began the process of putting on his armor.

"Merlin, why do you smell like a sausage?" Arthur asked.

Merlin ignored him and slipped the chain mail over his head.

"Merlin, I asked you a question!" Arthur said.

"Sausages? I don't smell sausages. I have no idea what you're talking about," Merlin said quickly.

"Merlin, you really are an idiot sometimes," Arthur said.

"Thanks," Merlin said sarcastically. Finally, Merlin handed Arthur his sword, and they ventured to the jousting area.

Outside, all of the knights were setting up their tents, polishing their swords and armor, and mostly importantly, trying to sabotage the other knights.

"Out of my way!" a knight said as he rammed into Merlin.

"Hey! Watch it! I'm the prince's manservant!" Merlin said.

"Like that means anything! Prince Arthur could just as easily get another manservant if you die," the knight said.

Merlin didn't know how to respond. The first thing he said was, "You seem rather rude. Where do you come from?" Merlin asked.

"Why does that matter to you?" the knight snapped back. Suddenly, the knight's eyes became as big as dinner plates.

"What's your problem?" Merlin asked.

The knight pointed in the distance. "Didn't you say that you work in the castle?" he asked.

"Yeah. . .haven't you been paying any attention?" Merlin asked.

"Do you happen to know who that woman is?" he asked. Merlin turned around and saw that the knight was pointing to Isolde, who was walking towards them.

"Oh, yeah. She's trying to get a job at the castle. In fact, she was supposed to meet me here at this time. I'd better get going," Merlin said. As he tried to take off, he was stopped by the knight. He grabbed Merlin by the shoulders and tossed him to the ground.

"What would that beautiful maiden want to do with you?" he said. The knight left Merlin in the sand, and he approached Isolde.

"Good day to you, fair maiden. I am Sir Marhaus of Ireland. I am enchanted by your beauty, and I will gladly fight for you in this tournament if it is your desire," Sir Marhaus said arrogantly as he bowed.

Isolde just looked at him. She had seen how he treated Merlin, and she was not impressed with the 'nobility' of Sir Marhaus.

"I thank you, kind sir. However, I am not interested in having you as my knight," Isolde said.

"You do not understand, fair maiden-"

"Please, my name is not 'fair maiden.' My name is Isolde, and I come from Ireland," she said.

"Ha! So you are from Ireland also! I should've known that was the reason why you are so beautiful," Sir Marhaus.

Isolde was so annoyed with Sir Marhaus that she was almost disgusted by his compliments. She did not know why this man was so infatuated with her, since he had only known her for a few minutes.

"Excuse me, but I have some business to attend to. Good luck in the tournament," she said as she walked past him. Once she reached Merlin, he was on his feet again.

"I hope that you're alright, Merlin," Isolde said.

"Don't worry about it. Being a servant also comes with the responsibility of being the royal punching bag," Merlin said.

Isolde laughed. "Yes, I understand. Still, Sir Marhaus had no reason to be rude to you," she said. Merlin said.

"Come on, Gaius is waiting to meet you," Merlin said. Merlin then led her to the other side of s area, where Gaius was waiting in his tent.

"Oh, good morning, Merlin," he said as he looked up from a book he was reading.

"Gaius, this is Isolde. Isolde, this is Gaius," Merlin said.

Isolde walked up to Gaius. "I am very pleased to meet you. I hear that you are the court physician," Isolde said.

"Yes I am. Now, what kind of job is it that you are interested in?" Gaius asked.

"You see, I am not trained to be a physician. I am merely healer, and I have a vast knowledge of medicines. I was wondering if you could use an assistant with your daily duties. Also, if I am hired in the castle, I can work among the common people of Camelot," Isolde explained.

"I see. Tell me, how kind of things do you know about medicine?" Gaius asked.

"It will be easier for me to show you," Isolde said as she opened her handbag. As she was showing Gaius the various bottles of medicine she had, Merlin pulled the sausage from his pocket. As soon as he took a bit, he tasted sweet revenge since Arthur had insulted him before he stole it.

"Mmm. . .That is a good sausage!" Merlin said without thinking.

Gaius turned around and looked at him. Merlin quickly hid the sausage behind his back.

"Merlin! Where did you get that sausage?" Gaius asked.

"Sausage? What sausage? I don't recall eating a sausage," Merlin said.

"Don't lie to me, I saw you. You even admitted that you were eating a sausage," Gaius said.

Merlin shrugged. Gaius walked over to him and whispered in his ear, "Stop stealing food from Arthur's plate," Gaius said.

Merlin sighed. Once Gaius turned his back, Merlin shoved the rest of the sausage in his mouth.

"Well Isolde, I am very impressed. I always knew that the people of Ireland were innovative with their medical techniques. I think that your work as a healer would be a blessing to the people of Camelot. For today, I'll let you stand on the sides, just in case there is an emergency. I may need your help," Gaius said.

"Thank you so much, sir! You don't know how grateful I am," Isolde said.

"Well, I would suggest that you find yourself a seat, because the tournament shall begin soon," Gaius said.

* * *

Isolde walked back to the arena alone because Merlin had to help Arthur with his finishing touches. She tried not to make eye contact with any of the knights, because she most certainly did not want to attract Sir Marhaus again.

She eventually found a seat that was in the first row, so that she could help if Gaius needed her. Isolde took the seat next to Gwen.

"Hello, are you new here? I've never seen you before," Gwen said as Isolde sat down.

"Yes, I'm trying to get a job here in Camelot as a healer," Isolde said.

"Oh, how fascinating. My name is Guinevere, but everyone calls me Gwen," she said as she smiled.

"It is nice to meet you, Gwen. My name is Isolde, and I come from Ireland," Isolde said.

"Ireland? You must miss your home and you family," Gwen said.

"I do. However, my parents knew that I would have an easier life here in Camelot. They wanted me to pursue my ambition of helping others. That's why I became a healer," Isolde explained.

"I used to be the Lady Morgana's handmaid. But after she mysteriously disappeared, I became a maid in the castle," Gwen said.

After a bit more conversation, Gwen and Isolde became fast friends. Eventually, the jousting tournament began when King Uther made his announcement.

"My dear people of Camelot. Today, we shall have the first set in a series of jousting tournaments to determine our champion. So now, let the tournament begin!" King Uther shouted.

Merlin stood on the sidelines like usual. He watched the various rounds of knights jousting. Some of the knights had poor form, were terrible at defending themselves, and some of them even forfeited.

"This has got to be the most ridiculous jousting tournament I've ever seen," Merlin said under his breath. He was sweating, because he had to stand in the sun all day.

The tournament became exciting when Arthur had his turn. As always, he defeated his opponent with ease.

"The winner of this round is. . .Arthur!" Uther announced.

"Please bring in the next two competitors. . .Sir Marhaus of Ireland, and Sir Tristan of Lyonesse."

The two knights walked onto the arena.

"Sir Tristan," Isolde said softly under her breath. She was a little nervous because he was fighting Sir Marhaus. Just by what she observed this morning, Isolde realized that Sir Marhaus was a ruthless man.

"Isolde, are you alright?" Gwen asked.

"Yes, I'm fine," she said.

"You're shaking. Are you nervous about something?" Gwen continued.

"No. I'm fine," Isolde responded, with a bit of annoyance in her voice.

Sir Marhaus and Sir Tristan took almost the entire afternoon to fight. Sir Tristan proved himself to be of superior skill to Sir Marhaus. However, both of the men were growing weary.

At the turning point of the fight, Isolde noticed something strange. Before Sir Marhaus performed his final lunge, he pulled a small vile from his pocket. He then poured the liquid on the tip of his lance.

"What did he just do?" Isolde said to herself. She closed her eyes and tried to remember where she had seen that liquid before.

Sir Marhaus lunged at Sir Tristan, and his lance went through his abdomen.

"AHH!" Sir Tristan yelled as he stumbled to the ground. Just as Sir Marhaus was going to defeat him, Sir Tristan stood back up. In one well-planned move, Sir Tristan pushed Sir Marhaus to the ground and defeated him.

"Sir Tristan wins!" King Uther announced. However, Sir Tristan fell to the ground.

Merlin ran over to where Sir Tristan had fallen. Gaius met him there.

"Gaius, what do you think is wrong?" Merlin asked.

"I do not know. Please, help me bring him up to my study," Gaius said. Both Merlin and Gaius picked up Sir Tristan and carried him to the castle.

Isolde stood in utter shock. She came back to her senses when she realized what had happened.

"Poison! I should've known!" she said.

"Isolde? What is it?" Gwen asked.

"Sir Marhaus used unfair tactics in this tournament. He poisoned his lance," Isolde said.

She stood up and ran in the direction of Gaius and Merlin.

* * *

"Sir Tristan, can you hear me?" Gaius asked the knight as he shook him. Sir Tristan responded with a moan.

"What's wrong with him?" Merlin asked.

Gaius checked Sir Tristan's pulse; his heart was beating slowly.

"Let us examine the wound," Gaius said. Merlin helped him remove the armor, chain mail, and his shirt.

Merlin saw that the wound was a nasty one. Sir Tristan had a deep gash across his abdomen and the wound was oozing with a greenish substance.

Gaius took a vile and collected some of the ooze.

"You stay here with Sir Tristan. I'm going to test this substance to see if there is any magic involved," Gaius said.

When Gaius went into the other room, Merlin heard a knock on the door.

"Gaius! Merlin! Please, let me in!" he heard Isolde yell. Merlin ran over to the door and opened it.

"Isolde, what is it?" Merlin asked.

"We don't have much time. I believe that Sir Tristan has-" she was cut off when Gaius entered the room.

"It is much worse than I thought. Sir Tristan has been poisoned. But the poison was made from a plant that is only found in Ireland. It would take a miracle to cure him," Gaius said in disbelief.

"Gaius, before Sir Marhaus took his final lunge, he poured a liquid over his lance. I latter recognized it as a poison that is used in Ireland. Tristan will die within twenty-four hours if he isn't cured. Please, I know how to cure this! Will you let me examine him?" Isolde begged.

"We have nothing to lose. Come with me," Gaius said as he brought his to the other room.

"I have already examined the content of the substance oozing from his wound. That is how I found the poison. Here, take a look at it," Gaius said.

Isolde sat down at his desk and looked at the contents of the poison. After about and hour of examining it, she knew the exact plant that she needed to counteract the poison.

"I know what medicine I have to make. It should be simple to make," Isolde said.

"Well, why don't you start making it," Gaius said.

"It's just that I've never healed a wound as serious as this one before. What if I don't succeed and Tristan dies at my hands?" Isolde asked.

"Isolde, you have to try. You are our only hope. Sir Tristan is an extremely brave knight who is an ally with Camelot. You are the only person who is from Ireland who can supply us with the cure. Please, you must do this," Gaius said.

Isolde nodded her head. "Alright, I'll do it," Isolde said.

* * *

The medicine took about two hours to make. Isolde had all of the ingredients, but it took a long time to boil them properly. Merlin watched her the entire time she worked. He had never seen someone so diligent before. He hoped that she would succeed.

When she was done making the potion, she approached Sir Tristan. Right now, He was half-conscious.

"Sir Tristan?" Isolde asked.

He looked up at her. "I-Isolde? What are you doing?" he asked.

"You've been poisoned by Sir Marhaus. I was able to make the exact cure for you. Now, just stay still and you will be better in no time," Isolde said.

"Oh, thank you. I feel terrible right now," Sir Tristan mumbled.

"Merlin, Gaius, hold down Tristan's arms and legs while I apply the medicine. It may hurt," Isolde instructed.

Merlin and Gaius did as they were told, and Isolde poured the liquid onto Tristan's wound. He cringed a bit, especially when Isolde gently rubbed the potion onto the infection site.

Merlin couldn't believe his eyes. As soon as Isolde was finished, the wound closed up and the infection dried.

"I can't believe it! It worked!" Isolde exclaimed.

"Isolde, you did it! You have proven your medical skills," Gaius said with a smile.

Sir Tristan groaned. "Oh, what happened?" he asked as he sat up.

"Oh, Sir Tristan! Don't sit up straight quite yet! Your abdomen still needs a few to days to heal!" Isolde said as she began to push him back down on the bed.

Sir Tristan blushed a bit when her golden hair brushed against his face.

"Were you the one who healed me?" Sir Tristan asked.

"Yes. I risked trying a new medicine on you. I was afraid that it would not work. It turns out that it did," Isolde said.

"Isolde, if it weren't for you I believe I would be dead. You have proven yourself to be an excellent healer. I am in debt to you," Sir Tristan said.

Isolde merely blushed. "Oh, there is no need to repay. Think of it as my payment to you," she said.

Sir Tristan scowled. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"You saved me from the rude townspeople, of course," Isolde said.

"Isolde, it is part of the code of honor to protect all women. There is no need for payment," Sir Tristan explained.

Isolde smiled. "I really must be going. I'll be back again tomorrow to check on you," Isolde said.

"Yes. I will look forward to seeing you tomorrow," Sir Tristan said.

She smiled again and left to room. Once she was gone, Sir Tristan was speechless.

"Well, you're a lucky man, Sir Tristan. Isolde was the only person who knew the cure to the Irish poison," Gaius said.

"Poison? I was poisoned?" Sir Tristan asked.

"Yeah, Sir Marhaus poisoned you," Merlin said.

"Sir Marhaus! I should've known! We have been rivals for years. He should be disqualified from all jousting tournaments. You uses the same unfair tactics every time," Sir Tristan said under his breath.

"You knew who that knight was?" Merlin asked.

"Yes. Sir Marhaus is a knight of Ireland, a nation that has never gotten along with Lyonesse. Ever since we were young pages, we always hated each other. It all began when I beat him in a sword duel," Sir Tristan explained.

Gaius and Merlin listened intently while Sir Tristan explained his story. He said how Sir Marhaus was a manipulating and rude knight. He cheated in order to win tactics, he lied his way to become a knight, and used his charms to win over fair maidens.

Merlin then recalled the way he was trying to woo Isolde earlier that morning. He was relieved that Isolde had integrity and ignored his false compliments.

Finally, Sir Tristan began asking Gaius and Merlin about Isolde.

"I don't know much about Isolde. I only met her yesterday," Merlin said.

"Really? Same with me. I want to get to know her better," Sir Tristan said.

Merlin grinned. "I know. I see the twinkle in your eyes when you look at her. You think that she's beautiful, don't you?" Merlin teased.

"Well. . .I. . .oh, you're right," Sir Tristan said.

"Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me. Anyhow, she seemed really worried after you were poisoned. She most likely has similar feelings for you," Merlin said.

"She's a healer. She has to help anyone in need," Sir Tristan said.

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

"Merlin! I need you to do your evening chores!" It was Arthur.

"Well, that's my call of duty. I'd better get going," Merlin said as he left the chambers.

Sir Tristan spent the rest of the evening thinking of Isolde. He knew that he wanted to learn more about her and he couldn't wait until she arrived.

* * *

While Isolde was walking to the castle the next morning, she heard the sound of a beautiful harp playing. She knew that she had to tend to Sir Tristan, but she really wanted to see who was playing the harp.

She eventually walked down a long corridor to where the musician was sitting. She couldn't believe who she saw.

"Sir Tristan! Why aren't you in bed?" she asked.

Sir Tristan stopped playing his harp. "Good morning, Isolde. I've never felt better. Your medicine has completely cured me," Sir Tristan said.

"Really? Well, I'm glad to hear that," Isolde said.

"I want you to know that you are a very advanced healer, Isolde. Camelot needs you," he said.

Isolde blushed and turned away. "Thank you," she said quietly.

She then looked at Tristan.

"Sir Tristan, I am mesmerized by the harp. No one plays he harp in Ireland. Can you teach me?" she asked.

"Of course," he said.

Up in Arthur's chamber, Merlin was watching Arthur eat breakfast.

"So, I hear that this new woman is a successful healer," Arthur said.

"Yeah, she was amazing," Merlin said.

Arthur gave him a funny look. "I hear the giddiness in your voice, Merlin. This woman is attractive isn't she?" Arthur asked.

"Beyond attractive," Merlin said softly.

Arthur sighed.

"You're ridiculous, Merlin! You can't even go out into the streets of Camelot without falling in love with a commoner," Arthur said.

Just then, they both heard a harp playing and singing.

"What is that?" Arthur asked.

"That's people singing and playing a harp," Merlin said.

"I'm going to investigate," Arthur ran over to his window and froze.

"What's wrong?" Merlin asked.

"Merlin! Get over here!" Arthur demanded. Merlin ran to his side and looked out the window. Below them, Sir Tristan was teaching Isolde how to play the harp. They were laughing, singing, and enjoying each other's company.

"Who is that woman with Sir Tristan?" Arthur asked.

"That's Isolde, the woman from Ireland who is trying to be a healer," Merlin said.

"Wow. Besides Gwen, I think that she's the most beautiful woman in the world," Arthur said.

* * *

And so, two weeks passed. It was obvious that Sir Tristan and Isolde had grown a close attachment over the course of their lessons.

Also, Gaius spoke with King Uther about her success in curing Sir Tristan. King Uther was impressed with Isolde's work, and he granted her the position as physician's assistant.

"From this day forward, you shall aid Gaius. Also, you will travel the streets of Camelot, tending to anyone in need. We need a healer like you, Isolde. You are filled with compassion and tenderness. The people of Camelot will learn to love you," King Uther told Isolde.

"Thank you, my lord. I am forever grateful," Isolde said.

Afterwards, Sir Tristan met Isolde in order to congratulate her. However, he also had to deliver some sad news.

"Isolde! I'm so glad that you are going to serve Camelot!" Sir Tristan said.

"Yes, it is truly a dream come true. I was nervous leaving Ireland, but I knew that I would be successful in Camelot," Isolde explained.

"You know, Isolde, I don't think it's a coincidence that we both came to Camelot at the same time," Sir Tristan said.

"What do you mean?" Isolde asked.

Sir Tristan put his arms on her shoulders. "I've been praying so long to find the perfect woman. I've never met anyone quite like you, Isolde. You went great lengths to save my life. I know this can be justified because you're a healer and would save anyone; however, several young maidens would be disgusted by the state I was in," Sir Tristan said.

Isolde smiled and gazed into his brown eyes. "Sir Tristan. . ."

"Please, you can call me Tristan," he said.

"Tristan, I've never really had feelings for a man before I met you. I never thought that a man would be attracted to me because others can view me to be stubborn. You're the only knight I've met that hasn't tried to woo me with ridiculous tactics and magnificent gifts," Isolde said.

Tristan laughed. "I think it would be a fair statement to say that I've fallen in love with your integrity," he said.

Isolde's eyes widened. "Tristan, do you really mean it?" she asked.

"Yes, I do," Tristan said.

Isolde smiled and gazed at him for a moment. She looked at his handsome face, outlined by his dark curly hair. She knew that she liked him very much and she didn't want to lose him.

"Oh Tristan! If only we could be together," Isolde said.

Tristan's face saddened. "I'm afraid that we cannot be together right now," Tristan said.

"I understand, Tristan. We haven't known each other long enough," Isolde said.

"Isolde, I'm leaving Camelot," Tristan said.

"What? When?" Isolde asked.

"Today. Lyonesse needs me to return. I am healed and the tournament has ended. I am no longer needed in Camelot," Tristan explained.

"Oh. I'll miss you, Tristan," Isolde said. She felt tears well up in her eyes. Tristan hated seeing her cry.

"Isolde, this is only temporary. I will never leave you. I love you, and I promise that I will come back for you," Tristan said.

"Really?" Isolde asked.

"Isolde, will you allow me to be your knight?" he asked.

Isolde nodded. "Of course." She then unclipped the gold chain she wore around her neck.

"Take this to remember me by," Isolde said.

"I will always remember you," Tristan said as he took the chain. As part of a knightly ritual, he took a dagger from his belt and gave it to her.

"Take this. You may never know when you need it," Tristan said.

Isolde accepted the gift with a smile.

"Goodbye, Sir Tristan of Lyonesse," she said.

Tristan his hand on the side of Isolde's face and pulled her closer to him. He affectionately kissed her forehead.

"I will return soon," he said softly. With that, he let go of Isolde and left her.

* * *

Later that day, Isolde and Merlin were performing chores around the castle.

"Well Isolde, I bet that you're looking forward to working for the people of Camelot. At least you don't have to serve a royal brat," Merlin said.

Isolde laughed. "I may have to serve the royal brat if he catches a cold," Isolde said.

Just then, she looked out the window and saw Sir Tristan on his horse, riding away from Camelot castle. She gazed at him for a few moments.

_Yes, Sir Tristan. I'll never forget you. Please come back soon. _

She then turned her back to the window and joined Merlin with the daily chores.

**A/N: So, what did you think? I'm happy with the way this turned out. I really liked how I did the Merlin and Arthur conversations. If you like this, I may write the sequel where Tristan returns to Camelot. Review if you think I should continue this!**


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